Yes. Kambo is practised worldwide by a growing number of people and is very safe, provided you are not contraindicated and are working with a certified practitioner. The tiny number of recorded incidents to date (literally less than 10) have been due to a combination of contraindication, negligence, and malpractice - compared to the several thousand annual deaths from aspirin each yeah. 'Overdosing' is not something that happens, that's not how it works, despite misconceptions. I have seen 80 year olds take it like a champ and giggle about it afterwards. I've also seen literal toddlers do the same - in their native culture of course - and handle it better than some adults.

Yes, but while everybody’s skin is different, these fade within a few months to a year. Most people wear their kambo marks with pride and they can be arranged in patterns of your choosing.

Though it's very salacious for some to believe otherwise, kambo frogs are absolutely different from ‘poison dart frogs’. For the frog, it’s a type of anti-bacterial shell, a concoction of AMPs (anti-microbial peptides). For us, our bodies do not treat it like a poison – on the contrary, our bodies recognize and co-operate with it, performing various normal functions. The undesirable aspects of the process – such as vomiting – are not due to any adverse reaction or due to our bodies attempting to reject anything – they are natural and somewhat 'mechanical' results of smooth muscle contractions. This becomes clear when understanding the roles of kambo in the body better - a 2018 paper noted that they are “sometimes interpreted as results of an intoxication or a massive allergic reaction, which clearly they are not”. It’s unfortunately easy to make armchair interpretations and conclude it is a danger, but this is not the case – if that was the case, there would be a huge number of emergencies stemming from its global daily use. Unless contraindicated this practise is very safe when practised responsibly.

Generally - nobody does - that's not really the purpose. But if the tradeoff was that such a practise helped support your overall health and wellbeing for a period of time, in exchange for doing a weird shamanic practise that might result in a short bout of purging, would you do it? Kambo treatments are done on an empty stomach, so if you do vomit - and this is usually short and controlled - it will only be water and fat-soluble toxins from your liver, making it much smoother and easier than what you may be used to after a night of drinking or a dodgy butter chicken. Additionally, you will often feel blissful afterwards thanks to the relief. If it’s any consolation, the nausea is not due to “being poisoned”, or due to an allergic reaction, or due to the body trying to reject anything. I won’t lie, it’s not particularly pleasant in the initial stages, but it's over soon and many end up treasuring the unique experience!

Not in the slightest. You do not ‘trip’ or hallucinate at all. Kambo is often confused with Bufo Alvarius, otherwise known as the Sonoran Desert Toad, which is completely different. People do it for the unique tribal experience and also wellness support.

The frogs are not killed or harmed during collection. In the jungle, kambo frogs are treated with care and an almost deity-like reverence so as not to ‘anger the frog spirit’, after which they are returned to the trees and not touched again for several months. They cannot be kept in captivity for this so all collection takes place in the wild. They are in the category of 'Least Concern' and have no natural predators; they are calm and docile and show no stress in handling. You may have seen images of the frogs tied up during collection – while it appears as if their legs are stretched too far, this is not the case, they have naturally long legs when elongated.

Kambo is legal worldwide save for Australia and some restrictions in Brazil. Practitioners are certified through very rigorous training with the IAKP and treasure the tradition and the role they serve very seriously.

You may be exhausted after your process or you may feel invigorated. Taking it easy for the day is recommended, but you will be able to drive and function normally once you have had something to eat and recovered.

Absolutely not. Kambo sessions are for almost everyone, and every week thousands of people from all walks of life – young and old, skeptical and open-minded, businesspeople and athletes – partake in this tradition globally, and all can benefit from the experience